Patrick doubted Ethan would be so kind, but he was utterly exhausted and desperate. "Ethan, what
more do you want? I don't want to play any games with you anymore."
"It's not up to you," Ethan answered simply, resting his chin on the back of his hand. "As you know,
your family is on the verge of collapse. One push and it'll all come crumbling down."
Ethan paused for a few seconds and frowned at Patrick. "But if you turn yourself in, admit to the police
and the public that you raped and then slandered my mother, and apologize to her in front of her tomb,
I will let you and your family go."
Patrick's expression changed.
If he did this, his reputation would be ruined and irredeemable. Patrick had enjoyed a certain level of
prestige all these years and it'd undoubtedly be a huge shame for him to apologize to a woman he had
never taken seriously.
He had only ever touched Sylvia Larson because she was beautiful, nothing more.
Sylvia was born in a rich family. When she was in school, many boys had chased after her, but she
rejected all of them, including Patrick.
However, things changed when the Larson family declined, and she was forced to take on a job as a
waitress in a hotel in Seacisco.
At the time, Patrick had already married Elissa, and the Lester Group reached its peak under his
leadership. When they met again under such a circumstance, Patrick wanted Sylvia to be his mistress.
Although she looked harmless enough, she was actually a tough woman and refused his offer without
hesitation.
Patrick was so angry that he raped her in the very hotel she worked at. Afterwards, he attempted to
silence Sylvia with money, because the latter was struggling financially. But she refused to accept his
money.
Patrick was afraid that the scandal would affect his reputation, so he lied to the public and claimed that
Sylvia had seduced him. After all, he was rich and powerful, and there were many women who wanted
to sleep with him.
It wasn't until much later that Patrick found out that Sylvia was pregnant. Sylvia probably didn't abort
the child because she was afraid that she might not be able to conceive again in the future, so she
retreated to the countryside and gave birth to Ethan there.
Since she was incapable of fighting against the Lester family and hadn't stirred up any trouble, Patrick
ignored her existence altogether.
Unexpectedly, thirty years later, her son rose from the ashes to avenge her.
"It happened thirty years ago! Even if I admit my mistake to the public, it won't make much of a
difference. Your mother is dead," Patrick said desperately.
Ethan expected such a response, so he said in a cold voice, "Quit making excuses. If you do as I say
and turn yourself in, you'll only be imprisoned for a few years at most, but ultimately, you'll be able to
protect your precious Lester family. By the time you're released from jail, you'll have another chance to
start anew. But if you don't admit what you did, I'll make sure you live a miserable life. I won't stop until
the Lester family, which has been around for hundreds of years, is completely destroyed—and you'll
have no one to blame but yourself. Like I said, it's your choice now."
Patrick fell silent for a long time, and suddenly looked much older. The chandelier hanging from the
ceiling illuminated his white hairs.
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